Extra Calories
by madalyn.elaina
Summary: Set after Season 8.. April finds herself jobless and pregnant after failing her boards. Well, not really jobless. But most definitely pregnant. How will she handle returning to the hospital... And how will everyone else react to the fact that she needs all these extra calories? One-Shot


**A/N: This is my first try at a oneshot. After season eight I had really wanted a actually Japril pregnancy to happen.. I hope you enjoy, critiques are welcomed. No flames though ;)**

"You belong in Seattle, saving lives. Now come home." Owen Hunt would beg if he had to, they needed her. It had taken him months to realise that this is something that he could fix. Cristina was home from Mayo yet he still felt like he couldn't help her, but he could give April her job back. He could fix this.

"Dr. Hunt I am flattered that you want me to come back but-" April was starting to sweat.

"No buts. You are not a farm girl anymore Dr. Kepner. You're a soldier-"

"I am pregnant." April blurted, ripping it off like a bandaid.

"-A pregnant soldier, but a soldier none the less. I still want you to come back to the hospital as our trauma fellow." He was surprised, but he could make it work.

She didn't even need time to consider the offer, already pulling him into a strangling hug , "Yes. With the whole baby out of wedlock thing, family life has been so tense, and I miss cutting people, and Zola. I haven't been able to skype with the internet being so finicky here. God yes, thank you Dr. Hunt."

"Your welcome Kepner, now do you need a couple days or are you going to fly back with me?" Hunt couldn't help but laugh at the redhead prompt '_Give me fifteen minutes'. _They were going home.

* * *

><p>April's first day back in the ER felt like returning home, the only difference was that she was in charge. She was in her element, ordering around residents, having interns run her labs, treeage-ing people and calling for consults made her feel like a only doubt in her mind being that Jackson was their. She kept telling herself that she wasn't even surprised that Jackson had opted out of Tulane.<p>

"_April," she whipped her head around at the sound of the familiar voice._

"_Hunt hired her back."_

"_We think it might have been Jesus."_

"_I thought you went to Tulane." April could feel the blood rushing to her ears._

" _Ah Yah I- I changed my mind."_

Not able to ignore her stomach any more she made her way to the cafeteria, she took one look at the salads and realized that they just wouldn't cut it. She opted for the double bacon cheese burger with extra onions. April blamed it on the bean, plus she was happy to once again have an appetite.

When April had gotten dressed that she had noticed that she was showing. While she was scared, she couldn't help but smile. She was going to be a _mom. _Kepners woman were born to have babies. She giggled to herself as she sat at an empty table.

"Why , are you eating a cheeseburger?" April grimaced at being caught by Alex at her moment of weakness.

"I have to run like a maniac to keep the ER running. I think I can handle the extra calories." April was defensive. Her scrub pants had already been feeling tight. As a doctor April knew that it was natural, but as a woman, she thought she looked horrible.

"Hey, no worries. You look like you can use a couple of extra meals. Was there a corn shortage in Ohio?" Two years ago Alex would never have thought that someday he would be worried about the health of April Kepner. She just looked too thin.

"I just haven't been hungry till now." April mumbled, embarrassed. She knew she needed to eat, she just hadn't been hungry. In Ohio getting the minimum amount of calories had been hard, and now she was even more aware of the fact that she hadn't been doing her job. "I'll do better."

"I know that the crash was hard on all of us Apes. But you can't stop living. You have to take care of yourself, we're all here for each other." He had been saying it to himself for the past three months, he just hoped he would eventually believe it.

April was couldn't help the rush of anger that ripped through her and though she knew she would regret it later, the words came tumbling out of her mouth, "That's easy for you to say Karev. You all had each other. I had to go home to Ohio. No phone calls from you or anyone else. No one understood why I couldn't stop crying, and then would tried to ignore the fact that I was a doctor, and tried to act like I was still an insecure farm girl . Support? Where was my fucking support? You're right I do need to take care of myself, but I don't need you, or anyone else around to hold my hand Alex."

Alex had no words for the redhead that through his from years ago back in his face. He could only watch as she stormed away, leaving her barely eaten lunch behind her. Losing his own appetite he left the room.

* * *

><p>April had wished she had the sense to finish her lunch. Feeling light headed from the low blood sugar she made her way to the vending machines, not wanting to risk having to talk to anybody in the cafeteria. After putting her cash in she ended up with a package of almonds, chips, two candy bars, and a sprite.<p>

"That's nutritious Dr. Kepner," Hunt teased as she ran into him on her way back to the pit.

April smiled sheepishly, "I did get almonds." She couldn't help but grin even wider at her defensive excuse.

"Just be sure to take care of yourself. I will say though, that you already have some of your color back." April's shoulder slumped, knowing that she hadn't been doing a good job at taking care of herself. Hunt put his hand on her shoulder, "I'm not criticising you, I just want to let you know that you have a set of eyes on you to make sure you are taking care of herself. Especially now. Now finish your lunch . Then I expect you back in the pit." He smiled at her gently before leaving.

After cramming down the last of her candy bars, she returned to the pit hoping for a quiet night so that she could try to catch some sleep. It was not to be, as in the midst of her wistful thinking she got paged to the bay for an incoming trauma..

"What do we have?" She slipped into her role as trauma surgeon as easily as breathing when she met the EMT. This was her first real moment as a fellow. She told herself that she could do this.

"16 year old male with multiple stab wounds to the abdomen and lower chest. The knife is still lodged in him. The other kid in the fight is on his way, not in critical but with possible internal bleeding." They informed her. April thought fast and decided to gorgo the trauma room and head straight to the OR.

"Page General to the Bay to meet the next ambulance. He should be fine to go to the trauma room first. You, join me in the scrub room." April gestured to the first year who had been following her around that day. "We're running."

* * *

><p>He had coded once on the table. April had to prepare his punctured lung, and after identifying the source of internal bleeding she removed spleen. The blood he lost was substantial, but April was confident that he would make a full recovery. When she talked to his parents afterwards his mother wouldn't let go of her, and as unprofessional as it was, she enjoyed being hugged. It had been a while since she had simply been held.<p>

"Good job in there Dr. Ross," April praised the first year resident as they walked away from them, with the promise to do the boy's post op personally. April was impressed with ' performance. He had done well in following her directions and asking her solid questions.

"Thanks for letting me scrub in, that was awesome , you were on fire." He could not wipe the smile off his face.

"Well I know it wasn't cardio-"

" , that moment was why I became a doctor. I just helped you save a life." The feeling was indescribable.

April smiled and reached to pat his shoulder, "You did good ." Maybe saying it twice would help him believe it. April walked away from the resident. While she was still on a post-surgery high. She needed to sleep.

April walked into an empty oncall room, nearly dead on her feet. Not being able to drink coffee was starting to really affect her and she was exhausted. She had nearly drifted off when she heard the door slam. Irritated she sat up quickly.

"Jackson, I'm tired. I need to sleep." April groaned. She could not handle this right now.

"I'm sorry for not calling you." He hadn't planned for this conversation to happen now. The words came out of him before he could stop himself.

"Jackson, I get it. you don't need to feel bad, and you don't need to feel obligated to try to go back to the way things were before. It's water under the bridge." Except for the fact that she was _pregnant_, but she would think about that tomorrow. She nodded and smiled grimly at him, taking his silence for agreement before leaning back onto the oncall bed. Shutting her eyes tightly as she prayed that sleep would come.

Jackson left the room, shocked that April had dismissed him. Part of him wanted to fight for them, for their friendship, but he knew that he fucked up. He had had no intentions of calling her when she left, he didn't know how to deal with the pit that settled into his stomach after he had made love to her.

Before seeing her he full heartedly agreed with her, that it was all water under the bridge, that he _needed_ to ignore it. She had come back though, and she stirred him up even more. April Kepner had stirred him up, and he had never even saw it coming. he never saw _her _coming . He shook his head to himself, he was _so screwed. _

* * *

><p>On her days off April had finally found a place to live. It was small, but it was safe. She looked around and knew that in time she could make it into a home. The bedrooms were small, she would have to share a bathroom with her child if they stayed there. She couldn't help but smile though, it was home. She heard a knock on the door and was surprised to see Karev standing on the other side of the door.<p>

"Alex?" She had no idea how he found out where she had lived so quickly.

"I heard that you found a place, I figured you might need help with some of the heavier stuff. Where do you have it stored. I brought my truck."

April saw the olive branch he was offering and once again felt horrible for the words that she said to Alex the other day, "I really appreciate it Alex, but you really don't have to do this. What I said the other day. I didn't mean it. I just haven't been myself lately."

"I get that Kepner, but you were right. We were pretty crappy to you after you failed your boards. This isn't me trying to make up for it. This is me trying to be a good friend to you now, okay?" He offered her a smile. Kepner was their annoying little sister, and it was time for them all to step up and be her family. As far as he knew he was the only one to have a real conversation with her since she had gotten back from Ohio.

"My bed is really the only thing that I have at the moment, Meredith let me put it in her old garage, do you mind if we stop at the grocery store after we pick it up?" April couldn't help but grin sheepishly.

Alex laughed loudly and nodded, "You got it, but I do have one question for you."

"What?" She was curious about what he had to ask her about.

"How long were you going to wait to tell us that you are pregnant?" Alex gestured to her obvious baby bump. "I will say though the scrubs do a fantastic job at hiding it."

"Don't tell anyone Alex. Please. I mean, I know we get on each others nerves but, I just can't let this get out yet. Plus Owen already knows and I can't take all the virgin jokes. And then theres the whole baby daddy thing." She was breathing deeply, trying to avoid a spike in her heart rate.

"Hey hey hey, there will be no more virgin jokes, besides Uncle Alex's lips are sealed. I can keep a secret." He soothed her in a voice he reserved for his patients.

"Uncle Alex?" She laughed through her tears.

"Whatever, you know, I am the closest thing you have to family right now. How far along are you?"

"About three months" Unwilling to tell him that she knew how far along she was down to the hour.

"Well , lets get you and Junior to Meredith's since you need both need a bed, and on the way we are going to pick you up a couple cheeseburgers, you could use the calories."

He lead the way down to the truck but not before he heard April mummer a thanks to him and give him a quick hug. He shrugged her off. Grateful to have a piece of his family back in rotation.

* * *

><p>April knew that she would have to tell Jackson the truth soon. But after her first checkup in Seattle she decided that she needed a little bit more time to be happy about her news. happy about her secret little pregnancy bubble.<p>

"_April, are you wanting to find out the sex? It's a little early at 13 weeks, but this one is giving me a great view, so i can give you my best guess." April had her eyes shut. She loved listening to the perfect sound of her babies heart beat. April had her eyes open before the OB could finish her sentence. _

"_That's my baby, I don't think I want to know until you're sure."_

"_Yes April thats your baby, and no worries, you can find out whenever you would like to."_

April had so many blessing in her life right now, a healthy child and a home for them to live in. She was also basking in the normalcy that their group had been experiencing lately. Even her and Jackson had been able to establish a tentative friendship. And though it wasn't what it used to be, she was grateful to have the man she had always loved in her life.

April had finally allowed herself to admit it to herself. She loved Jackson Avery. She was pretty sure that she had loved him since they were first interns. April had always been aware of the fact that she had a crush on him, but being able to say that she loved him, even to herself, was progress in her eyes.

"How was your appointment?" Alex sat down after her. After eyeballing her plate he put a slice of his pizza on her plate, "The farther along you get the more calories you need." April rolled her eyes. Since finding out that she was pregnant he became her personal food warden. It meant a lot to her that he cared. Even though he drew the line at helping her pick out a crib with her.

"Your future niece or nephew are doing just fine is doing just fine." April told him slyy.

Alex gulped some of the soda he had in front of him, "I'll let Hunt know you are doing just fine."

"You talked to Owen about this?"

Alex shrugged, "It's not like I can talk to anybody else about it, and since we both know we might as well talk about it. Uh Uh. No caffeine for Mama." Alex scolded her as she reached for the Coke on his tray.

"I'm a doctor, I know that a little pick me up would not have any real effect." April wined at him. Despite her desire for caffeine she knew he was right.

"You already had a coffee this morning, I saw you with Yang." Alex wasn't about to take any chances. This hospital couldn't survive with any more angst. Hell, he couldn't handle anymore angst.

"Fine, you win, no caffeine, but you know what, no more mooching off my dinners, Plus I'll make you call Izzy back." He groaned in response.

"What did April do this time Spawn?" Cristian joined the duo who had surprised everyone with their friendship. It was a source of major gossip at the hospital, what made it comical was Pretty Boy's reaction to the development.

"_Do you think that they are actually together? Alex tells you everything, so spill." Cristina accosted Meredith after hearing resident discussing her old roommates. _

"_He hasn't said anything to me, and I don't remember the last time me and April talked."_

"_Hey pretty boy, has April talked to you about her and Karev?" She called to Jackson as he was charting._

"_What?"_

"_Don't tell me you haven't notice all the time they have been spending together. Do you think he deflowered her-" But Jackson silenced Cristina by walking away. What she didn't know was that Jackson was livid at the thought of someone else touching April Kepner. _

"_Try not to punch him again." She called out to him. Not denying that seeing Alex Karev with a black eye once again would be entertaining._

"I'm going am refusing to make him anymore meals" April replied to the asian smugly.

Cristina nodded understandingly."Withholding food before sex Kepner? I don't blame you, once you start banging you can't stop."

"I'm not screwing Kepner. That would be like incest or something." Alex rose to their defensive. April turned as red as her hair.

"You didn't think that last year." Jackson joined the table still angry, but relieved to hear that they weren't an item. "You know when you tried to screw her after the shooting."

"Jackson stop it," April hissed. She didn't understand, Alex and Jackson had never been close, but she had never see him be this verbally hostile towards anyone.

"I just find it funny how quickly you were able to get back to normal with him. With everyone else you would try to punish them." He said it as a barb towards her, she knew it and he knew it. He also regretted it.

For a moment April forgot where they were. She started to chew on her lip, not knowing if she could defend herself. In a way she was punishing him. She was punishing him for not loving her like she loved him.

He put his hand on the side of her faces and pulled her lip from her teeth, "I'm sorry, I just. It's been a rough day. I didn't mean to take it out on you." Even with the nervous look in her eye she looked beautiful. Recently all he had done was look at her.

When she first got back, April had looked so gaunt; he had worried about her. Lately though, her face had filled out and she was looking even more beautiful than normal, and even though she looked healthier he couldn't stop looking at her. When he thought that it might be Karev making her feel better, he felt like he had been hit over the head.

As April abruptly stood up and left the cafeteria, he couldn't help but watch he walk away. He had no idea how he had _missed it. _In the midst of all the chaos it had always been her. Jackson was in love with his best friend. He never wished he could talk to Mark more than at this moment. He needed to know how to fix this, and once he did, he wouldn't let her go.

Ignoring the others comments, Jackson left the cafeteria. He followed her needing to talk to her, because he now knew that he would follow her anywhere.

* * *

><p>April knew he would be following her. So in an effort to maintain their privacy she lead him into an on call room. She sat down at the edge of the bed ready for him when he walked threw the door. She wasn't surprised at the speed of which he joined her. She took a breath, preparing to finally tell Jackson the truth.<p>

Jackson spoke so quickly he didn't have time to notice that he was cutting her off, "Last time we talked, I mean really talk. I wasn't prepared. I'm still not fully prepared. But you have to know April, that i'm going to fight for you. That's what I should have told you last time that we talked. That I am going to fight for a chance." He stunned April into complete silence.

"So prepare yourself April. Because I'm not going to stop until you're mine. April you need to know, that it has always been you. Since that very first day at Mercy West. Even when I didn't know it. But I know it now." He leaned forward and gave her a sweet kiss. Short but it held promise of what was to come. Jackson grinned at her dazed face as he left her in the on call room.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there. When Alex came in she began to giggle uncontrollably.

"Were you able to tell Avery that he is going to be your baby daddy?" He nudged her giggling form and smiled at her.

"Nope. What gave it away?"

"It may have been the fact that he has done nothing but stare at you this past week. He definitely knows what's underneath the clothes." April smacked him.

"He told me he was going to fight for me, kissed me then left. I didn't really get the chance to tell him about bean." She put her hand to her stomach. Not willing to admit that she was more scared now than she had been. Scared because now, she felt like she had something to lose.

"I have always been in love with him Alex, and everyone has always known. Reed, his mother, our residents. I just, I'm not who he usually dates and-"

"April, you're better. Don't let your insecurity define what you deserve." Alex looked so serious at the moment. April knew he was right. After standing up she smiled at him, "Call Izzy back Alex."

* * *

><p>April found him working in <em>her<em> ER the next day, he never volunteered in the pit, and he never came down unless it was for a consult; it made her smile. This was him fighting for her. They were on her turf, she could do this, she was ready to tell him. She however did not anticipate running into a gurney, then tripping over her own two feet. People rushed to her side before she was even on the ground, Jackson being the first one next to her.

She panicked, "Jackson, Jackson. I'm pregnant. This can't be happening. Oh my God, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I am a horrible person." Once the tears started they wouldn't stop. She was panicking. Despite his own budding panic Jackson knew that he had to get her to calm down.

"April, Sweetheart look at me. April I need you to breathe. Will somebody grab me a gurney!" Jackson thought he knew what panic felt like, but at that moment he had never been more scared in all his life. He was relieved when they made it through to the trauma room, away from prying eyes.

"April it's going to be fine. I just need you to breathe for me. When mama ain't happy baby ain't happy. We want our baby to be the happiest, and for that I need your heart rate to be lower." He pressed his forehead to hers, hoping that it would ground him, as much as he needed it to ground her. He was relieved when she began to take a few deep breathes, but just as soon as she started to calm down she started to panic again.

"I was going to tell you Jackson. I was going to tell you today and I was going to beg you not to be mad-."

"Babe I am not mad," Jackson interrupted, hoping to give her the reassurance she needed.

"And then I was going to tell you that you don't need to try and fight for me, because you already have me. I can't even do that right. I've gotten fired twice, and now I can't even carry our baby right. Kepners always have babies right. I mean for Christ's sake we drop them in fields. Sorry Jesus." Now panicking that Jesus was against them.

The door opened and one the hospital's OB's walked in; Jackson pounced on her, "Is it safe for the baby if we sedate her? She's not calming down and I don't know what else I can say to her."

"We don't want to sedate her unless it is absolutely necessary. There appears to be no bleeding and an ultrasound is on it's way. The best thing for April will be to see that her baby is okay. For now just talk to her." The OB began to do a quick check up as April continued to struggle with her breathing.

"My mother is going to love you even more now, I was already convinced that she loved you more than me, but now...Are baby is going to be so spoiled April. I think I'll be worse than our moms. I can't say no to you, so there is no way I will be able to say no to our kids."

He smiled down at an almost calm April. "Kids?" Aprils voice squeaked.

Jackson didn't stop his babble, "I was thinking three. I think that would be a good number for us. Don't you? I mean I always wanted siblings. And I cannot wait to see your name list. Because I know you have one. We can compare some other day though. Besides I think that are ultrasound machine just arrived."

Jackson was quiet as situated April on the hospital bed. He reflected on the things he had said to her in her fragile state. He knew that he meant every word of it. Jackson never thought that he would want a family, but now, seeing April and his baby on the screen. Hearing it's heart beat. They were going to be a _family_.

"What are you thinking?" Aprils question startled him out of his day dreaming.

He looked down at her and smiled gently, "I am thinking about how much I love you two. And how you are already such a great mom." For Jackson truer words had never been spoken. "I'm also thinking about the field day Cristina is going to have with this." he nudged her playfully. Then he turned to the OB, "What's the verdict Doc?"

"These two are going to be just fine Dr. Avery, but I am sending you all home for the next couple of days. You sound like you could use the time to decompress and talk. Just no marathons." She smiled at the looks of relief on their faces. "Any questions for me?'

"Is sex OK?" Aprils question caused Jackson to choke. She gave his back a couple of thumps and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Sex is fine April, and is in fact healthy. OK daddy, try not to be too strict with mam?" The Doctor looked pointedly at Jackson, he nodded, slightly dazed. _Daddy. _

They left the hospital, thankfully without running into any of their fellow attendings. Jackson offered to drive, April was more than OK with spending the day with the man she loved. Trying to come up with a plan for their next couple of days off.

"April," She turned to face him as he continued to drive."Everything I said in there was true. I do love you. You know that right?" April smiled sweetly at him and nodded.

"I love you too, but I have to ask, where are we going?" They were not on their way to either of their apartments.

"I need you to keep an open mind, can you do that for me?" After seeing her nod he continued. "We love each other and we are having a baby. Even if you weren't I would still want to do this eventually. I want to get married. Tonight. I mean, shit I know that this isn't romantic, but God I need you to be my wife. Not just the mother of my child. I need to marry you April Kepner. And if you say no, I'll keep asking everyday until you say yes. Because that's what I want. You and me. Forever." There was a long silence.

"Where you thinking of us driving down to City Hall?" He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. There was another long pause.

"Go to the airport instead. I think Vegas would entertain the kids more." She smiled at his shocked look.

"Are you saying yes?" His voice was gruff, and he hoped that she wasn't messing with him.

"I'm saying yes." She laughed at his whoop of delight. She laughed even harder when he rolled down the window and yelled,

"_She Said Yes!"_

**A/N: First one shot, let me know if you enjoyed it…. Thanks y'all xoxo**


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